Press releases 2008

Geneva, 3 October 2008. Today, three weeks after the first particle beams were injected into the Large Hadron Collider—the world’s largest particle accelerator—the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid celebrates the start of its crucial data challenge: the analysis and management of more than 15 million Gigabytes of data every year, to be produced from the hundreds of millions of subatomic collisions expected inside the LHC every second. This data-handling feat marks an essential stage in the process of enabling researchers to discover new physics.

Geneva, 2 October 2008. Following the successful circulation of first beam in the LHC on 10 September, the world’s largest and most complex scientific instrument will be officially inaugurated at CERN on 21 October 2008. Representatives of the governments of CERN’s Member and Observer States and other participating nations have been invited.

Geneva, 26 September 2008. Exactly 40 years ago today, the European Physical Society1 (EPS) was founded at CERN2 to promote physics in Europe. Today, the EPS represents over 100,000 physicists from 40 national member societies, thus reaching well beyond the geographical area covered by the European-Union. Maciej Kolwas, EPS President elect, stated that not only is physics the basis of much of today’s technology, it was indeed at the forefront of building a united Europe and remains an integral part of human culture.

Geneva, 23 September 2008. Investigations at CERN1 following a large helium leak into sector 3-4 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) tunnel have indicated that the most likely cause of the incident was a faulty electrical connection between two of the accelerator’s magnets. Before a full understanding of the incident can be established, however, the sector has to be brought to room temperature and the magnets involved opened up for inspection. This will take three to four weeks. Full details of this investigation will be made available once it is complete.

Geneva, 20 September 2008. During commissioning (without beam) of the final LHC sector (sector 3-4) at high current for operation at 5 TeV, an incident occurred at mid-day on Friday 19 September resulting in a large helium leak into the tunnel. Preliminary investigations indicate that the most likely cause of the problem was a faulty electrical connection between two magnets, which probably melted at high current leading to mechanical failure. CERN ’s strict safety regulations ensured that at no time was there any risk to people.